Even so, Elizabeth showed up at my house last night with Nicole (who loves the Ruger Mk II) in tow, ready to go to the range. I asked her if she was scared or nervous. "Nah," she said. "I don't get scared about much." Cool.
I discovered that Elizabeth had previously shot a .22 rifle and something she said "gave her a big bruise on her shoulder." Probably a shotgun. But she had yet to try shooting a handgun. Lucky for her, we have a selection.
I put a .22 revolver, my .380, and a .38 special and their coordinating ammunition on the counter of the stall, so that she could compare the different sizes. I demonstrated how each pistol worked. I then discussed the 4 Rules with her. I showed her the meaning of double action and single action, showed her how to grip the pistol and said, "Okay. Now you're ready. Would you like to try it?"
She said, "You first."
So I shot two rounds and said, "Now you." She picked up the pistol, shot two rounds, testing out double action and then pulling back the hammer manually for single action. She set the pistol down but I made her pick it back up. "There's still bullets in there. Finish them up."
We moved on to my Bersa Thunder .380. We talked about the difference between revolver versus semiautomatic. I loaded it for her and adjusted her grip. She shot two rounds and set it down. "I don't like that one at all," she said. "It feels like it's really jumping around." I told her about recoil and said that she needed to perhaps grip it a bit tighter.
"Yeah, but I don't want to have big bruises on my hands."
Oh, crud. I felt like a complete jerk. I had forgotten that Elizabeth takes a medication that thins her blood. Not wanting her hurt, I didn't ask her to shoot anymore. But being a trouper, she went on to try the Mark II and Mike's rifle.
I can't say whether Elizabeth really liked shooting, but at least she now knows about safe handling. She can also cross "shooting a handgun" off the list of things people should try at least once in their lifetimes.
Nicole and Mike were happily shooting .22 - Nicole had fun trying a one handed stance with the Mk II and Mike was getting reacquainted with his rifle.
(I also got a chance to try out the rifle. It is way too big for me. So Mike says that whatever we make from selling his old Astra 9mm will go towards a new bolt action for me, probably a children's model.)
15 comments:
Breda,
Henry has a lever-action .22LR that comes in a "youth" model that you might be interested in. Bruce of No Looking Backwards picked one up for his missus and it seems to work for her (don't tell Bruce, but she shoots it better than he does!)
Another option would be to find an aftermarket stock for the Model 60 that has a shorter length-of-pull (either adjustable or just smaller). Granted, I just saw a new Model 60 selling for $120 at Bass Pro, so it might be cheaper to just buy a new gun than to get an new stock...
BTW, good on you for taking Elizabeth.
FWIW, I've only bruised my hands with small-framed Magnum handguns. If you were to go with a full-size 9mm (like, oh, Mike's Astra - never sell a gun, honest) or a good ol' .45 ACP, it should be okay...
My dad is in his 70s. 75 to be exact. He gets a recurring bruise on the back of his right hand any time he picks up a tool. We're still experiencing problems from the time we extended charity towards a woman who turned out to be a heroin addict. Her friends and enemies think they can show up at all hours and try to beat down our door. They are thwarted for three good reasons. One: I am a locksmith, and the industry has sent me some amazing samples of door securing hardware. Two: I am the premier motorcycle mechanic in the area and I'm carrying credit for a couple dozen chronically short bikers. I'm a "Brother" in seven otherwise adversarial motorcycle groups. That comes in handy when some wannabees think you're easy pickings. Three: My dad is fully conversant in the four rules, and keeps a pistol in the stand next to his chair. I have come in to find him casually holding it, finger in front of the guard. When a couple of friends said they wouldn't come up unless I disarmed him, my response was, "Well I got too many Commie-Democrat friends anyway, I can stand to lose a couple." If He'd shot them, or even menaced them, It'd be one thing. I won't disarm some cause it makes someone else uncomfortable.
hell, dad gets a bruise every time he fires anything above .32. Even in practice. You don't see him backing down, "Never mind that Boy! They make medicines for bruises. They make coffins for the alternative." This is a man who seriously wanted me to look into manufacturing 22LR ammo. We do a brick a week on busy weeks, two if we have leisure.
Yes I was I will echo Jay
Think youth stock length,
Or even consider having your's cut down.
It is a fairly simple act of gunsmithery to lop a couple inches off the stock and fit a new butt plate.
On the other hand, it is a fine excuse to get another .22. But keep in mind that even if the model you want doesn't come in a bantam or youth model, a shorter pull is just a chop saw away.
+1 to trying out a Lever gun in .22. I personally don't care for lever actions (except for falling-blocks....I like them) But Mrs. Weer'd shot a Henry youth model at a Second Amendment Sisters shoot, and she REALLY liked it. I suspect when we're shooting more she may talk me into getting one for her.
If you're set on Bolt-Actions, CZ's are REALLY nice, and I'm sure they come in youth stocks...or you can have one cut-to-lenth.
Thanks for taking me! It was fun...and I didn't bruise!! :)
I think I'll take that pic and put it on my profile-I'm thinking that I will stop getting weird creepers adding me as friends then lol
It's a joy to see pretty ladies having such a grand time! :)
Hey! I heard that!
so, that 9 is an old astra? some of those were fine spanish guns often called the poor man's sig...
it might not bring much in cash or trade so you might want to give it a chance if it's not junk...just another capable if unremarkable resident of the arsenal, and as i've predicted before it won't be the last shootie you add.
jtc
jtc
Why a bolt action and not a .22 semi-auto? Yes, I have the ubiquitous Ruger 10/22 and have been very pleased with it over the 10-15 years I have owned it. The stocks are reasonably short, I had to add an aftermarket extender. However, if they are too long, there are so many drop in stocks, including adjustable stocks, that you could find exactly what you want for not much money.
Oh, and the 10/22s I have fired are tack drivers.
Ruger 10/22 is k-rad!
Astra 9MM is so sad!
breda i will take a look monday at the assortment of .22's that my friend and partner clint has at the pawnshop...
there might be something your size with a little history or character to boot, and since he's an ffl you might be able to swap the 9mm to him directly (and you would receive the rifle at your local ffl)...
do you know the model/age/condition of the 9?
jtc
If I may make a suggestion Breda, if you like the bolties, follow W.Beard's recommendation. I have a CZ452 that will shoot WAY better than I can, & they make a yute model that is a beauty (sorry, I can't remember the model #).
They're well made, good lookin' guns for a reasionable price. You can set them up for single shot, or 5 or 10 round mags.
Check 'em out.
I don't think they have a widdle squirrel on them though...
Doubletrouble,
The youth CZ is the 452 Scout. My 7 year old has one. It's great; the whole family love to shoot it. It comes with a 1 round "magazine" (really a platform on which to place a single cartridge. 5 and 10 round magazines are available also. (He won't outgrow it like he would a Cricket.) I went with the CZ after a lot of checking around for youth models, and am happy with the decision.
Another CZ recommendation. Bought the scout for my wife, and she loves it. It is 'HER' .22.
Took a while to settle on a larger caliber rifle for her - home is rural and I'm not there as much as I'd like... Thought I'd solved that question with a lever action .357, until she decided that my M1 carbine needed to be hers. And pink.
If you decide to try a shotgun, try the Aguila mini-shells. Much less recoil. Not as much power, of course, but 'some' shotgun is better than none.
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